Moose Jaw and District Food Bank in search of $30,000 after sewer issues

The Moose Jaw and District Food Bank is searching for help after a sewer and waterline collapse forced the building to close down to the public.

The food bank is looking to raise $30,000 to help with repairs both inside and outside the building.

“The last few months, we’ve been having quite a bit of problems with our sewer,” the food bank’s operation manager, Terri Smith, said.

Smith said the financial side of things hit them hard, as most of their money goes toward food and salaries.

“Being a non-profit, we try and make as much money as we can throughout the year for expenses and food purchases and to pay our employees,” Smith said. “When you have an expense this large it is a little more difficult to manage.”

Anyone interested in donating can visit a GoFundMe page or donate on the food bank’s website.

Meanwhile, some people in Moose Jaw are searching for food.

According to Smith, roughly 850 food hampers are handed out every month. In total, they have seen a 58 per cent increase in food bank usage in the last year.

For now, a sign has been posted outside the food bank letting people know where they can find meals if they are facing food insecurity.

Smith hopes to have the building back up and running by the end of the week.